Is the American Table food THAT bad?

[Colin B]

The bottle says "American Table" on it and no mention is made of purchasing it, so who knows if it's a decoration or a drink. ;)

 

I DO like the water carafe. I DON'T like the lack of tablecloths and the 99 cent store looking brown and white bread plates.

 

Sheesh!!:rolleyes: they can serve the bread on recycled roof tiles for all I care.

[storm1507]

I actually enjoyed the American Table menu. As you stated, it is all subjective. One person at our table of 10 did not like it, the other 9 did. I would say 9 out of 10 in favor of are good odds!

 

I especially like that they have the American Table menu, but there are also options based upon the port you visited that particular day. For example, in Jamaica, the appetizer was jerk chicken wings. Mexico had Mexican food for dinner.

 

Go with an open mind. Don't listen to anyone else. You are the only one that can determine whether or not you like it.

 

I bet there is a 90% chance that the 1/10 person will be the first (and most likely only) to come to a forum and tell of their "bad" experience.

 

I don't pay much attention to reviews....especially about food.

[Martini Mom]

[/i]

 

Sheesh!!:rolleyes: they can serve the bread on recycled roof tiles for all I care.

That's next ;)

 

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[manmachine]

I would be happy eating peanut butter and jelly all week Im on a cruise :)

 

Don't say that it you may get your wish.

[daydreamer143]

I would be happy eating peanut butter and jelly all week Im on a cruise :)

 

After our first cruise (it was a family cruise), everyone was talking about all of the things they ate that were fabulous. I realized that most of the time, I didn't even stop to eat... for most of the cruise I ate grilled cheese sandwiches from room service as I dressed for the day, or when we turned in for the night.

[iluvit!]

From the pics it looks like the silverware is placed on the bare table[emoji33], appears unsanitary. Or are they in a napkin?

[Colin B]

From the pics it looks like the silverware is placed on the bare table[emoji33], appears unsanitary. Or are they in a napkin?

 

Nah!! I wouldn't stress too much about that; there would probably be more bugs in the fabric of a tablecloth or napkin than on the tabletop. Now if someone had sneezed over them...........:eek:

[Runaway Parent]

While only been on a 3-day with American Table, I loved it! The food was great and the decorations made it interesting.

 

I don't ever "pick a fight" on these boards, but no tablecloth=unsanitary? Really? We eat out a lot- all levels of restaurants- many, many don't have tablecloths! I do have tablecloths for special holidays at home, but rarely use a tablecloth otherwise. Does that make it unsanitary? I choose to believe Carnival wipes down the tables between services. They are constantly cleaning everywhere else!

[katiel53]

I really like the New American Menu. There are many things from the old menu such as the Prime Rib, lobster, cold soups and some desserts. New things such as Beef Wellington as well.

 

I think it's time for the menus to be updated as the "old" menu is just that, old. Even at home we have new things so I like to have different choices on the ship too.

 

Additionally, who in their right mind would ever decide that ribs should be served on an elegant night? My opinion is that most people who object to the new menu are ones who tried it when it first came out which was before some of the old favs were added back to it, or are people who don't like change, or people who have heard others say for whatever reason they didn't like it so they won't like it either.

 

I just wish it were available on all ships, but perhaps by waiting to add it to others next year, it will be even more refined.

[skittl1321]

While only been on a 3-day with American Table, I loved it! The food was great and the decorations made it interesting.

 

I don't ever "pick a fight" on these boards, but no tablecloth=unsanitary? Really? We eat out a lot- all levels of restaurants- many, many don't have tablecloths! I do have tablecloths for special holidays at home, but rarely use a tablecloth otherwise. Does that make it unsanitary? I choose to believe Carnival wipes down the tables between services. They are constantly cleaning everywhere else!

 

 

Watching food shows a lot, it appears more and more than the most upscale restaurants are ditching table cloths. There are restaurants with Michelin stars that don't use tablecloths, and there is no way Carnival is near the level of upscale dining that is! Carnival is banquet at best. Check out Aquavit, Atera, Dovetail, Peter Luger, The NoMad, The Musket Room, Aureole, Grammarcy Tavern, all in New York City, they don't use table cloths. (Neither do ANY of the sushi restaurants with Mishlin stars that I can think of in New York, even if you don't eat at the sushi bar.)

 

I don't understand the obsession with tablecloths. It just adds to the laundry and water and energy usage. Aren't cruiseships wasteful enough?

 

 

I'll see if I like American Table based on the food; but the no table cloth concept seems just fine to me.

[saltsandknit]

We had the American Table on the Magic and found it to be hit and miss some nights the food was excellent and 2 of the nights not so much. One night the menu was so unappealing we ate on the lido. I was actually not pleased with the dining on the Magic other ships have been much better.

[mzlinda]

I really don't care for the American Table menu. I don't eat any fish or seafood and I think the quality of the beef in the MDR is not good. so that doesn't leave me many choices. I had chicken, pasta and pork. The other nights we went to the lido buffet or the steakhouse.

 

I should add that it's not terrible. The service was still good but the food was mediocre.

Edited August 15, 2015 by mzlinda

[bakersdozen12]

I haven't cruised before, but I'm kind of glad that the American Table won't be ready on the Dream in October, for no other reason than I will have a chance to try both. Personally, I think food is food and I don't care if they have tablecloths or not. There are too many starving kids in this world for me to ever complain too much about the food.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

I really don't care for the American Table menu. I don't eat any fish or seafood and I think the quality of the beef in the MDR is not good. so that doesn't leave me many choices. I had chicken, pasta and pork. The other nights we went to the lido buffet or the steakhouse.

 

I should add that it's not terrible. The service was still good but the food was mediocre.

 

So is the problem here really The American Table menu or is it the things that the poster doesn't like.

[Angela61280]

We've done American Table several time... The first was when it was brand new, and being tried on the Glory.. The shared appetizer with strangers was odd, as was the no table clothes... Then we did it again on the Liberty, then Fast forward... On the Breeze in May, we had a tablecloth each night, the food was delicious, and I really enjoyed it.

 

Things change.. Preferences differ... It happens. I personally enjoy it

[momof3cruisers]

This was my experience the three times I was served the American Table menus on the Inspiration and Imagination. More often than not I chose items from the "always available" section or whatever it is called.

Interesting. I had the new menus on Imagination in Jan and really like it.

They apparently only do when they are trying to be fancy.

 

 

(I've actually noticed a lot of upscale restaurants are going without table cloths. Often with a note about an environmentally friendly policy.)

 

I confess, I like table cloths. If for no other reason than to absorb the condensation from beverage glasses.

 

I had the old menus in Dec of last year on Freedom and my husband and I thought all the food was very good. A few nights were excellent. However, I have read several comments on CC from people who have had many complaints about the food since the new menus have started on that ship. That is really too bad. Hopefully they will work out the kinks.

[colleenod]

Do they still have the warm chocolate lava cake?

[DocF]

Our experience (10 Carnival cruises) makes me think that the skills of the particular chef and his kitchen crew has more to do with the quality of the meals than does the menu. We have had the same dish on different cruises and had it be excellent one time and only fair another.

[LeeloLovesStitch]

I greatly enjoyed the American Table menu. I thought it had a great number of choices and a wide variety. I loved that you could pick whatever side items you wanted. We had tablecloths every night - I would dislike if we didn't.

[shipty2]

Since the trend in cruising is to encourage the passengers to be motivated to eat at the dining venues that charge extra it would be counter productive to have really good food in the dining room. It is in the cruise lines best interest to crest menus that satisfy the masses and new cruisers but leave enough room for improvement so that others will be willing to pay for better food.

[TerReuv]

I am a picky eater and don't like seafood except shrimp and crab. On our cruise in October, the Conquest will have the new menus and I am looking forward to them. For those who say there is nothing there or there are limited selections, you are nuts! From what I can see on the new menus, there are at least 5 choices in the everyday (which does include flat iron steak, which someone said was not on the menu) and at least 5 other choices for your main. That does not even include the port specific main dish. Who can't find something they like from that many items?

 

It sounds like people complain just to complain. Something changes? OMG, we hate change! I also see a lot of items from the old menus so I just can't see what the big deal is? I am looking forward to the flatbread appetizers.

 

As for the tablecloths, I never use them at home except for special occassions and won't miss them at all. I do understand the condensation issue and I am sure if they started using coasters then people would have a fit too. As others have mentioned, many upscale restaurants are not using them anymore either.

 

It always makes me laugh when people say they ate in the lido buffett as they didn't like the MDR menu. Isn't the lido pretty much all the same dishes as the MDR for the night with a few exceptions?

[WAHMto5]

We are not picky eaters but as others explained. we also felt it was hit or miss. We just picked the nights (1-2 night) that nothing really looked that great and went to the Steakhouse or Italian Restaurants;)

[Sparky2]

I know food is subjective, but the majority of posters on a recent JH post dislike the new menu. My question for those that have tried the American Table is: Is it that bad? Looking at them (will get to try on the Magic soon), the menus look really good to me.

 

We were on Liberty in 2014 right after American Table & American Feast were started. There were a lot of good items on it. We actually enjoyed it for a change.

 

However, a few favorites were missing - ie. creme brulee & strawberry bisque. I believe they have been added back to the menu.

 

This past January, we were on Conquest with the old menus. I did enjoy all of the cold soups that were offered that are not on American Table.

 

Next year we'll be on Glory so will have the American Table & American Feast with the beautiful tables with no tablecloths except on Elegant Night.

[Sparky2]

I have been on 8 Carnival Cruises and always liked there food. Most recently, I was on the Breeze in April and just got off the Liberty on July 26 2015. I do not care for the American Table food and thought Carnivals older menu was best.

Plus they place a wine bottle every night on the table to entice you to buy, which I feel is tacky!

Yes, food is subjective, and yes you will find something to suit you. But the American Table menu is a huge disappointment. Many on the cruise were complaining about the new menu at the pools.

 

my 2 cents :)

 

I hope that if you tell your waitstaff that you do not want a bottle of wine on the table, they would remove it & not bring one every night. I sometimes bring a glass of wine with me to the table.

[Sparky2]

We've done American Table several time... The first was when it was brand new, and being tried on the Glory.. The shared appetizer with strangers was odd, as was the no table clothes... Then we did it again on the Liberty, then Fast forward... On the Breeze in May, we had a tablecloth each night, the food was delicious, and I really enjoyed it.

Things change.. Preferences differ... It happens. I personally enjoy it

 

We were on Liberty in 2014 right after they changed to American Table/Feast. We had tablecloths because the tables have not been replaced & the table tops looked awful.